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Happy ’80s Birthday to Nick Esasky, who developed Vertigo and was forced to retire after his age 30 season. He hit .277 with 30 homers and 108 RBI in 1989 for Boston and was out of baseball by the end of 1992.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Eddie Murray, who was Rookie of the Year in 1977, was an 8-time All-Star, is a member of the elite, 3,000 hit/500Hr club.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Bryan Kelly, who pitched for the Tigers in 1986 and ’87 and later served as a minor league pitching coach.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Dave Edwards, who spent 5 years in the big leagues with the Twins and Padres. He also had two brothers, Marshall and Mike, who played in the major leagues.
2/24/88
The Tigers trade Doug Baker to the Twins for minor leaguer Julius McDougal.
Baker plays parts of the next three seasons in Minnesota then signs with the Astros for 1991.
2/24/83
The Yankees sign Bert Campaneris as a free agent.
Campy hits .322 in 60 games and his career is over after the season.
Big Days
2/24/82
The Dodgers open camp but Fernando Valenzuela is a holdout.
After winning the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year, Fernando wants a raise but the Dodgers are playing hardball. The stalemate lasts for most of the spring before L.A. automatically renews Fernando’s deal in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.
2/24/83
Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese-born player in the major leagues, attempts to make a comeback with the Giants.
Murakami has not pitched in the big leagues since 1965 but has been pitching in Japan for the last 17 years.
2/24/83
Two weeks after having a cancerous kidney surgically removed, Cleveland manager Mike Ferraro oversees the first spring training workout of the season.
2/24/84
Pete Rose reports to spring training for his first day in an Expos uniform. His career in Montreal lasts 95 games.
2/24/84
Cubs GM Jim FInks tells Citizens United for Baseball in Sunshine (C.U.B.S.) that there will not be night baseball at Wrigley Field as long as he is with the team. His tenure as GM ends at the end of the season and the lights come in 1988.
2/24/85
After stating that Yogi Berra would be his manager for all of 1985 no matter what, George Steinbrenner tells the media that Lou Piniella will likely be his next manager.
George fires Yogi after 16 games, just 146 games shy of a full season, and replaces him with Billy Martin. Piniella takes over in 1986.
Transactions
2/24/86
Bruce Kison announces his retirement. He finishes his career with 115 wins and a ring. The man weighed 165 soaking wet and pitched inside like he was Drysdale.
Managerial Changes
2/24/86
Dick Williams abruptly resigns as Padres manager and is replaced by Steve Boros. He resurfaces later in 1986 to take over the Seattle Mariners and pilots them in 1987 and part of 1988.
His book is an entertaining read. Also: I think managers and team owners should kiss whenever there is a managerial change.
Injuries
2/24/86
The Expos announce that Charlie Lea will miss all of 1986 with a rotator cuff injury. Lea went 55-40 in his first five seasons in Montreal but missed all of 1985 and 1986. He would win just seven more games.
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